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About this blog: The day my doctor "congratulated" me upon entering the obese category for my height was the day I decided not to wait for my first heart attack to change how I was conducting my life. That was over two years and 40 lbs ago when I ... (More)

About this blog: The day my doctor "congratulated" me upon entering the obese category for my height was the day I decided not to wait for my first heart attack to change how I was conducting my life. That was over two years and 40 lbs ago when I was 58. I was born in the old country, Brooklyn, and have lived in California since 1977, except for an eight-year stint in Newton, MA. I'm a married father of three, living in Palo Alto, working in sales & marketing at Moldaw Residences retirement community. My wife is from San Diego where I originally wanted to re-settle, but the girls in her family prefer NorCal, and she had agreed to move to Newton to help take care of my dad, so I conceded (and happy I did.) This blog's focus is on exploring some different ways of thinking, acting, learning, working, eating, educating and believing, that hopefully can help us get closer to realizing our unique potentials. Many of us have always had this suspicion that there's something greater inside us, that we just weren't living up to our full potential. It's never too late to tap into that potential, a fact that, through my work with seniors at the Moldaw, is proven every day. There are ways to release that potential. Let's explore them together. (Hide)

New Year's Resolutions re. eating healthy and exercising, don't usually work

Uploaded: Dec 23, 2013

Over at the Ross Rd YMCA this Monday 12/23 morning and I noticed that there were a lot less folks working out. School's out, so maybe that's the reason. But no, even when school's in, there aren't many kids who work out at 7-8am on weekday mornings. Could be that people are taking some days off of work before or after Christmas and heading out of town. That might account for some of the reduction of folks at the Y. But it brings to mind that it's really easy to skip a workout session, workout day(s) because we are so busy with the holidays. And then there's always the New Year's resolution about how we are really going to do it this year, really going to lose weight and be regulars at the gym. So why not take a few days off between Christmas and New Year's and get off to a fresh start.

Well, Y's and gyms love those New Year's resolutions. They always see a big bump up of people joining up. I would suspect trendy workout clothing boutiques get a surge of new customers too.

How about something different this year? Make the changes, or continue with the great changes you've already made, today, Dec 23, or tomorrow Dec 24, or whatever day you happen to read this post. Even Christmas day. Don't wait for Jan 1st and another New Year's resolution that'll peeter out in a couple of weeks. During the holidays is the best time to give yourself a gift of healthy living, and to unwrap that gift early, and start using it now. Everyone around you will benefit from a healthier you.

BTW - you don't need to go to the Y or a gym to work out. There are plenty of exercises you can do with minimal equipment (ie. medicine ball, exercise ball, dumbells) or no equipment at all. Walking is one of them, but if you are pressed for time, you can replace a half hour of walking with about 10 minutes of exercises that will also increase your strength and flexibility unlike walking will. Search on youtube.com for easy to follow videos for all levels you can follow in your pajamas (if you prefer.)

Not to be a complete killjoy, but the holidays are a great time to watch what you eat. It's so easy to put on 5-10 lbs between Christmas and New Years, especially when you add in all those Christmas parties, and the cake and candy that mysteriously shows up around this time. Beware the popcorn variety tin that's so easy to binge on.

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